NOTE: The group Fight Islamophobia has since cancelled its scheduled protest on Saturday.
Whether you are for, or against a federal private members' motion condemning Islamophobia, there is a protest for you this Saturday.
The Canadian Coalition of Concerned Citizens is holding protests against Liberal MP Iqra Khalid's motion (M-103) in the House of Commons in several communities. Demonstrations are planned at Windsor City Hall and in Leamington, at the town hall on Erie St.
Georges Hallak with the coalition calls the non-binding motion an attack on free speech. He also says he would support it if it did not single out Muslims for protection, but rather condemned discrimination against all religions.
"100%," he says. "If they just said every single minority in Canada, I would support that 100%. Just the fact that they single out Islam, I think it's anti-Canadian."
"My impression, and many Canadians feel, that it is the beginning of Sharia Law in Canada," he continues.
Strict interpretations of Sharia Law are blamed for widespread human rights abuses in countries like Saudia Arabia, Pakistan and Afghanistan, but Khalid's motion does not even mention it. It does, however, call for the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage to study how the government could reduce, or eliminate all forms of systemic discrimination and religious intolerance.
The federal Conservatives have said they will not support M-103. They say the Charter of Rights and Freedoms already protects the freedom of religion. The party has said it would introduce its own motion that did not mention Islamophobia, and the Liberals have communicated they will not support it.
It's not only drawn lines in the House of Commons; it's drawing lines in the community too.
A group called Fight Islamophobia, which supports M-103, is organizing its own protest at the same time and place as the coalition's demonstration. Organizer Jordynne Ropat says fears that Canada will impose Sharia Law on all its citizens are rooted in ignorance.
"I think if they got to know Muslims within Canada, they would understand that this is not something Muslims want," says Ropat who defends the motion, especially in the aftermath of an attack on a Quebec City mosque that killed six men. "I think that people need to understand that within our current political climate, Muslims are being killed in Canada for doing nothing other than living their authentic selves, living in black and brown bodies, living in hijab and practicing their faith peacefully."
"If in Nazi Germany, in the 30s, somebody had spoken up and said actually, we should enact a practice in Canada to respect and protect Jews, I think that people today would look at that and say thank God they did that," she continues.
Recently the Ontario Legislature unanimously supported a similar motion that called on the government to condemn all religious intolerance, including Islamophobia.
Both protests will start at noon and are expected to wrap up at 2pm.
